Mudfest Marvel: Kia EV9 Sweeps Awards with Electrifying Performance

Kia has been at the forefront of innovation and excellence over the past decade and constantly strive to provide vehicles that can adapt to any terrain. The EV9 has drawn a lot of attention recently at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, as it made huge waves at the 2024 Northwest Automotive Press Association’s Mudfest event. It was able to claim the very rugged and capable honor of “Outdoor Utility Vehicle” along with “Three-Row Family SUV”, as journalists and enthusiasts descended upon The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington.

Spring has left behind quite a challenging arsenal of half-dry and still slushy terrain right here in Missouri, and plenty of showers and thunderstorms have made for difficult conditions. For customers excited to try their hands at off-roading, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assist can provide the confidence to know that the hazards of the wild won’t deter your next trail excursion. Hikers and other adventurers can pop up seemingly out of nowhere, and these features allow you to focus on the fun at hand instead of being concerned about any incidents with others who are out enjoying the wild. 

All Kia models are backed by a 10-year or 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, along with a 5-year or 60,000-mile limited basic warranty. Drivers who enjoy the task of getting muddy will be happy to know that they can keep their Kia running smoothly for many days to come. These recent accolades yielded from the Northwest’s most rigorous testing grounds underscore Kia’s valued position as a current leader in the automotive industry. The esteemed Car and Driver review crew praised this year’s EV9 for being “one of the first true family-friendly EV options, which drives and acts like a slam dunk!”

Its' large size comes with a towing capacity of 5000 lbs, along with its usable 3rd row of seats that should appeal to many growing families. The more time they spent with the EV9 the more they enjoyed it, as they also moved to award it with a spot on their 2024 Editors Choice List. They felt that the midrange Wind trim offered the most value, with the more capable all-wheel-drive powertrain cranking out 379 horsepower. It also is equipped with the second-row captain's chairs, a heat pump for the climate control system, and the heated front seats and steering wheel.

The second-row captain’s chairs offer heating, ventilation, and massaging, and the rear cargo space holds 20 cubic feet. The J.D. Power team’s independent expert had a tremendous time with an EV9 decked out in Ocean Blue paint, the Second Row Relaxation Package, carpeted floor mats, and the carpeted cargo mat. The front seatbacks include embedded USB charge ports and a storage tray along with a bin that slides toward passengers from the back portion of the front console. The second row features an overhead climate control panel, ceiling-mounted air vents, and side window shades spanning the glass. 

Kia Sportage Cruises to Victory as U.S. News’ Best Hybrid and Electric Car of the Year!

 

The beginning of Q2 here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis is a whirlwind of activity for many of our employees, their families, and our customers! It’s time to begin ringing in the warm weather with plans for excursions to museums, parks, and swimming pools... and we’re afraid that “yesterday’s clunker” simply won’t do! All of Kia’s vehicles have proven to be resilient, high-functioning, and reliable. It also gives us great pride to watch the stack of awards roll in from heavy hitters such as U.S. News & World Report. 

They just announced the winner of their “Best Plug-In Hybrid SUV” category, signifying another quite memorable first! To come up with the winners of this category, U.S News took the time to evaluate 96 luxury and very affordable hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars, SUVs, and trucks. Elements taken into account were EPA fuel ratings, pricing info, and findings from the press.

Plug-in hybrids are a very thrilling bridge to an all-electric future, with the Sportage's 34-mile all-electric range able to tackle many average daily commutes right here in St Louis. After undergoing a complete redesign last year, the 2024 Sportage now arrives primed and ready for each test drive with new interior and exterior updates. The Edmunds.com review crew praised the Sportage for its comfortable ride quality, very spacious seating, and massive rear cargo area. Once you add Kia’s amazing warranty coverage and low prices to the equation, the Sportage wholeheartedly remains a class leader!

Numerous testing pros have praised the suspension’s soft tune, which allows it to absorb bumps and pavement that has stood the test of time with ease. The rear seats have an abundance of adjustable recline, which delights rearview passengers during 60+ mile endeavors. After closely examining the climate control layout, the Edmunds crew loved that it converts the controls to media layouts while not in use. The new touchscreen iconography resembles neon signs, evoking a modern and nearly “cyber cafe”-styled look. 

Visibility is excellent thanks to XXL windows and body dimensions that aren’t too tough to gauge directly from the driver’s seat. The Prestige trim adds the very useful camera-surround system, while USB-C and A ports are plentiful in both rows. The adaptive cruise control excellently holds gaps without the need to constantly tap the brakes, and none of the collision systems gave this testing crew any false alerts. “Smart Pack” operates well in the common pinch found in any big-box parking lot: if things get just a bit hectic, you can get in or out of any parking spot with just the key FOB. 

The review staff analyzing the best and worst of these vehicles for awards determination consider space, and the Sportage delivers 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, and 74.1 cubic feet with the row folded down. The rear seats can also be folded down from the hatch, and the rear seats have car anchors that are incredibly easy to locate and use. The rugged looks of the X-Pro will entice anyone who is constantly itching to go far beyond the stretches of urban pavement, and the J.D. Power review crew gave the Sportage their coveted rating of “Great” for reliability.